


The History of Your Name

by Spiciest_Sriracha



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Fluff, Past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23320318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiciest_Sriracha/pseuds/Spiciest_Sriracha
Summary: A story set 15 years after the events of the Dalen’s Closet One-Shot, where Percy is pressured by Vex into discussing with his eldest daughter Vesper where her name comes from and what happened to the original Vesper.Vex is pregnant and annoyed, Percy is acting an arse, the younger de Rolo children are confused, and Vesper is every bit her parents’ daughter.A tale of how the de Rolo’s go from tense family arguments, to reconciliations, to heart-to-hearts
Relationships: Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 111





	1. Like Mother, Like Father, Like Daughter

**Author's Note:**

> Since we're all stuck inside on self-quarantine, I've been re-watching some of my favourite Critical Role Campaign 1 moments. Then next thing I know, I felt the urge to write this fic (because I just love Perc'ahlia too damn much).
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“Percival!” Vex hissed in warning, while narrowing her eyes at her husband across the dining table.

The man in question did not regard her or even react to her admonishment. Instead he continued to stare into his goblet of wine with an indifferent and haughty expression, while twisting the goblet at its stem with his thumb and forefinger.

A beat of awkward silence fell amongst the family, with the three younger de Rolo children looking between their parents with a look of apprehension and concern, including the occasional fleeting looks toward their eldest sibling Vesper who had triggered this strange behaviour from their father to begin with. Vex and Vesper did not notice their glances however, as they were both casting scowls in Percy’s direction. Vesper out of pure unadulterated teenage frustration and Vex with the ever-growing annoyance at her husband behaving like an arse. While Percy ignored them all by continuing to focus on twisting his cup between his fingers.

Percy finally broke off the silent staring contest that he wasn’t even participating in, by lifting the goblet to his lips and slowly taking a sip of wine. Once he had placed the goblet back down on the table, he lifted his gaze to settle on his eldest daughter who was glaring at him in an eerily accurate imitation of her mother, and quirked an eyebrow at her in a daring challenge to argue with him on the matter.

“Argh!” huffed Vesper in exasperation, rolling her eyes and sitting back in her chair, crossing her arms in front of her. “You are being entirely unreasonable about this, and it shouldn’t require such a reaction.” She finishes while looking pointedly back at her father, with an expression of equivalent defiance to back down.

Percy responds by simply giving her a smug unyielding smirk, not shifting his posture even an inch in his seat. Keeping up the appearance of looking the part of the respectable Lord of Whitestone. Vesper gives an exaggerated huff in concede and goes to push back her chair in signal of her wishing to leave the table, but before she can even lift herself out of her seat her father’s voice rings out.

“You need to excuse yourself before you can leave the table.” Percy spoke in a calm and even voice not breaking eye contact with his daughter, giving no indication of the stand-off that had just ensued.

“Percy, just let her go-“ Vex began to argue annoyed, but Vesper cut her off before her mother’s ire could escalate into a full-blown argument.

“Then please may I be excused?” Vesper asked just as calmly as her father had been, perfectly imitating and reflecting his haughty demeanour back at him.

For the briefest of moments, she thought she saw the corner of his mouth twitch into a (if she wasn’t mistaken, proud?) smile, but she must have just imagined it as his expression was back to being smug and superior again in a flash.

“Of course you can, dear. Ignore your father.” Vex quickly responded before Percy could, while also shooting her husband a look to not even think about arguing with her, clearly no longer wishing to entertain his antics. “In fact, you’re all excused. You all have tutoring in the morning and need to go and get ready for bed.”

Vex then began to lift her heavily pregnant self out of her chair and signalled the few visible members of the castle staff to begin clearing the table. Vesper had already stalked off to her room by the time Vex had got to her feet.

Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski De Rolo IV, or Freddie as his parents had more affectionately dubbed him to both avoid confusion and as a little inside joke between them from their past, slowly got out of his seat and moved to leave the room. He had spent most of the meal silently sketching in his notebook that had been gifted to him by his Aunt Cassandra the last time she was home from her time travelling Tal’dorei, and so he appeared to be completely unfazed and unaffected by the still slightly awkward atmosphere between the remaining de Rolos. Freddie had just exited the dining room into the castle’s foyer when he sharply turned and quickly walked back over to the table to grab his small sketchbook that he had accidently left behind, before scurrying out of the room again.

Meanwhile, the twins Oliver Vax’ildan de Rolo and Whitney Vex’ahlia de Rolo, the current youngest of Vex and Percy’s children, sidled up to their mother as she stood and stretched out her aching back.

“Mommy? Would you read to us before bed?” Whitney asked sheepishly, nervous to upset her parents like her older sister had, and clearly still confused by what had transpired at the dinner table moments ago.

“Darling, I would love to, but Mommy’s back is really hurting and I need to go lay down.“ Vex started to explain to the twins as she rubbed vigorously at the knot in her lower back.

At that moment Percy rose from his seat and walked around to Vex’s side of the table to stand by his two youngest children. “I would be happy to read to you. If you’ll have me?” He said with a warm smile and in his gentlest voice, in a clear attempt to dispel the image of the hardened and aloof man they had witnessed briefly at dinner.

“Okay!” They both said in unison with big smiles, clearly happy to move past their fathers fleeting lapse in character. They then both took one of Percy’s hands each and led him out of the room and up the castle stairs to their shared bedroom, chatting excitedly all the way.

Vex noted to herself that Percy had not yet been able to meet her gaze since the disagreement had sparked at dinner, as she watched him walk off hand-in-hand with the twins. She knew it was because he was well aware of her anger toward him and was trying to avoid a confrontation until she’d had time to cool off. Percy, being the clever man that he was, had learnt quickly into their 16 years of marriage that this was the best method to avoid explosive arguments between the two of them. The pregnancy hormones, however, were certainly not helping her to calm her mood, but rather were aggravating it.

Vex sighed and waddled uncomfortably up to her and Percy’s room in the castle to lay down, all the while pondering how she was going to scold Percy for his behaviour when he decided to make an appearance later.


	2. From Confrontation to Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex wants to get to the bottom of why Percy acted like he did over dinner and is laying (literally) in wait in their bedroom to press him for answers. She fully anticipates him to be as deflective with his answers as his gloves of missile snaring, but she knows damn well that something’s up and won’t stop until she gets to the bottom of it!

A couple of hours passed before Percy quietly slipped into the castle’s master bedroom that had once belonged to his parents but was now occupied by Vex and himself.

Midway through Vex’s pregnancy with the twins, the couple had agreed to move out of Vex’s house in the city to move back into the castle, as it was more spacious for raising their ever-growing number of children and more efficient for Percy’s council duties. Vex’s old house instead became the official embassy for Syngorn in Whitestone, due to Vex’s ambassadorial status there, and was now used to facilitate guests from the elven city. It mostly remained empty except when Vex’s father and family came to visit, but Vex would spend time there occasionally either reading from her personal library or nostalgically wandering around it, which Percy joked was because she was as always unable to let what rightfully belonged to her go.

Once fully moved into the castle, Percy was shocked to discover how much of a struggle it was to be living there again. Finding himself regretting the decision on occasion as he forgot just how eerie and lonely the castle felt to him, with the ghosts of memories of his perished family that lingered here. Adding to that, he and Cassandra had finally had to address the daunting task of clearing out their parent’s old bedroom, which had been claimed by the Briarwoods in their time reigning over Whitestone, to allow for him and Vex to move into the master bedroom. It had been more difficult than he and his sister had anticipated, triggering both happy and haunting memories for the two of them. He had never been so appreciative of his wife however, than when she had set to work redecorating the room until it was virtually unrecognisable from how it had been before, leaving no traces of any of its previous occupants, relieving Percy of his trepidation to stay in there.

Percy’s trepidation to enter the room on this occasion, however, was born to a completely different circumstance. He knew that his wife was waiting for him inside, to most likely scold him for his behaviour toward Vesper at dinner, and he hated being the focus of her anger as he knew in almost all circumstances he was deserving of it.

Vex was laying on the bed on her side waiting for him. She was facing away from the door, so she missed the anxious look Percy directed toward her as he cautiously stepped into the room. Vex, perceptive as always however, did hear him enter even with his attempts at being stealthy. As soon as she heard the distinctive _click_ of the door closing behind Percy, she sat up and shifted backwards to lean against the bed’s headboard and to stare at her husband across the room, waiting for him to notice her.

Percy could feel the burn of his wife’s eyes on his back as he moved toward the closet on the other side of the room. He didn’t say a word as he shrugged out of his heavy blue coat and hung it on the coat stand situated to the left of the closet in the corner of the room, and then proceeded to unpin and remove his ascot.

Vex was the first to break the tense silence that permeated the room since Percy’s entry. A woman to not mince words she simply said, “So? Are we going to talk about dinner or pretend it didn’t happen?”

Percy froze for the briefest of moments from removing his now unbuttoned waistcoat, before slipping it past his shoulders and hanging it up in the closet. He then let out a heavy sigh before turning to finally meet his wife’s gaze.

“I’m not going to apologise for what I said.” he merely stated in response.

“How about for behaving like a pompous arse then?” Vex asked with a scowl, clearly not satisfied with his answer.

Percy let out another long-drawn-out sigh, this time removing his glasses temporarily so he could rub at his eyes as he did so.

“Yes, I’d agree that was regrettable. I apologise.” he concedes.

“Good. However, I don’t think it’s just me you’ll need to be apologising to,” Vex began as she made to stand from the bed and move toward Percy, who was still standing by the closet on the other end of the room, “Vesper is going to be unbearable to deal with until you address this with her.”

Percy hummed in agreement whilst moving to meet her halfway, sensing that some of the tension had been alleviated by his apology, as they both moved to sit on the small couch that was facing the lit fireplace located on the opposite wall to the door Percy had entered through. Percy plumped up a couple of cushions for Vex to lean against, clearly having noticed her discomfort from backpain after dinner. Vex gave him a small appreciative smile before settling down beside him.

“I don’t understand why you are still being so resistant over what Vesper said earlier.” Vex broached tentatively, suspecting she was close to uncovering the prompt to Percy’s defensive behaviour.

“All she asked was if we could invite this boy she likes and his parents over for dinner. Nothing world ending Percival. I know you didn’t have much dating experience at her age but believe me when I say it’s completely normal for a girl of her age to be interested in boys, or indeed girls too if she’s anything like her mother.” Vex finished with her signature wink.

“I do not believe it would be appropriate.” Percy murmured in response, almost in a trance as he absently stared into the flickering flame ablaze in the hearth opposite them.

“By Pelor’s light, Percy what are you talking about?” Vex sighed, more in confusion than frustration at this point, as she recognised the far-away look on her husband’s face. Over the many years spent in his company, she had learnt that expression was usually an indication he had fallen into the dark abyss of traumatic memories from his past that clouded his judgement on occasion. What she couldn’t work out however, was why his mind had taken him there in relation to this subject.

“Surely her wishing to set a formal introduction between us and his family is how these things are supposed to be done?” she probed hoping he would give her a hint, but it failed to get a response from him.

“Oh, I don’t know how this stuff works,” she huffed at the lack of reply, “I’m still new to all this nobility shit. Surely you have more of an idea on these sorts of things than I do.”

“As terrible of a father as it may make me seem, it’s not actually the idea of my fifteen-year-old daughter wishing to start dating that concerns me.” Percy says with a mirthless laugh, “It’s the thought of inviting complete strangers into this castle.”

Vex watched as Percy shuffled uncomfortably for a moment from his end of the couch, clueing her onto him feeling he had revealed too much into where his mind had drifted. She took a moment to put the pieces together of what he had said, until it finally all clicked into place.

Strangers. A Dinner Party. His Family. The Briarwoods. It all made sense now why he had acted as he had.

Vex felt her heart sink at the realisation, how had she missed the clear parallels in their daughter’s innocently motivated proposition and in the most horrific event to occur in her husband’s life. Even so, she couldn’t help but be saddened by the fact that even after all these years Percy remained paranoid of history repeating itself, a sign of its lingering effects on his psyche. Did he ever not immediately think of the worst-case scenario?

Vex scooted closer to Percy on the small couch until she was leaning into his side and reached out to take one of his hands in hers.

“Percy.” she breathed, squeezing his hand in an attempt at comfort and understanding. Percy slowly turned to face her, his brows knitted in confusion at her sudden shift in tone and demeanour.

“This isn’t going to be like it was with your family. With the Briarwoods. You have nothing to fear. It’s just some boy she met when taking a few classes in Emon last year.” Vex uttered reassuringly.

“That may be so,” Percy said, his face still set in a mixture of conviction and concern, “but we know nothing about his family. Their social standing in Emon. If they are reputable. If there would be ulterior benefits for their son to be linked to our daughter-” he began to ramble but Vex raised a hand for him to stop, cutting him short.

“Darling, not everyone has hidden motives behind their actions.” Vex affirmed.

“Or some are just better at hiding them than others.” he retorted with a self-deprecating tone, alluding to his ever-present inner battle with his own morality.

“What can I do, what can we do as a family, to lessen your uneasiness over this,” Vex appealed while rubbing the back of Percy’s hand with her thumb, “You know as well as I do that it won’t stop Vesper from continuing to contact the boy. Possibly even sneaking off to see him in secret.” she finished shuddering at the thought.

“If she’s anything close to what I’ve heard you were like at her age, then we’re in big trouble when it comes to her romantic exploits.” Percy quipped with a smirk, finally showing signs of allowing himself to relax and put down his defences.

“Oh? And what exactly have you heard?” Vex quirked an eyebrow at him, her eyes glittering with mirth.

Percy let out a soft chuckle before responding, “That you are, and always have been, a voracious flirt.”

“I don’t recall you ever complaining about that fact.” Vex replies with a sly smile.

“A fool yes, but I’m not a total idiot.” he remarked dryly, causing Vex to laugh and Percy to grin instinctively to the sound of his wife’s laughter.

They remain seated in a companionable silence for a moment, both staring into the fire with content smiles on each of their faces, with Vex resting her head on Percy’s shoulder.

“So? Any ideas on how I can get you to agree to this dinner and avoid our daughter turning into a teenage runaway?” Vex urged breaking the peaceful calm that had fallen over them.

“Hmm,” Percy hummed in thought for a moment before responding, “It would put me at some ease if I could gather a bit of information on these people, before we even consider inviting them into this castle.”

“You want to spy on them?” Vex translated, lifting her head from her husband’s shoulder to give him an incredulous look.

“Not me personally, but yes. Just as a precaution.” he defended.

“Fine. As long as that means you’re agreeing to invite them here some day in the near future for your daughter’s sake?” Vex remarked.

“As long as I don’t find anything disreputable about them, then yes I think that would be reasonable.” Percy agreed.

“Now we’re just left with the problem of Vesper.” Percy continued after a thoughtful pause, “I don’t believe she will be too understanding with these conditions.”

“Percy, why don’t you just be honest with her?” Vex asked sincerely, only to be met with an alarmed expression from her husband, “I’m serious! I think you should just be upfront with her. Tell her everything. About your family, about the Briarwoods, and why her suggestion made you so defensive. Maybe she’ll surprise you.”

Vex couldn’t help but smile to herself as she said the last line, recalling a conversation from years back with Vax concerning her reluctance at telling Percy her feelings for him, where he had uttered the exact same line to her. He hadn’t been wrong, Percy did surprise her and continued to even after 16 years of marriage.

Percy paused for long while, looking off into the fireplace again in deep thought. Vex watched his face intently as his eyebrows furrowed contemplating her suggestion.

Vex was beginning to lose hope on getting a response from him. Believing she had lost his attention to his own inner turmoil once more she began to move to get up and go lay down again on the bed to relieve the throbbing pain in her back, when Percy suddenly spoke.

“Alright.” he stated calmly and confidently, turning to be met by a shocked expression on his wife’s face, to which he chuckled at.

“Really? I won’t lie, I was expecting to have to convince you further on this.” Vex said completely confounded.

“Vex, I trust wholly in your better judgement.” Percy replied with a smile, “So if you believe me telling Vesper the truth is the best course of action, that is the action I will take.”

“You may regret giving me that much power over you, dear. I fear it will go straight to my head.” she joked, still amazed in her husbands unbreakable trust in her.

“Oh, I’m well aware it most likely already has.” Percy mocked with a smirk, before swiftly moving to stand from the couch.

“Wait, where are you going?” Vex asked, confused by his sudden movement.

“To talk with our daughter of course.” he responds.

“Oh, right now?” Vex blurts stunned, her eyebrows shooting upward in surprise.

“Better to get this over with,” Percy begins flatly, “especially since you pointed out she’s going to be insufferable until I do.”

Vex hums a laugh in reply, both in amusement at Percy’s barely concealed reluctance and in agreement with his point. She then raises her hands out toward him in signal for wanting help in getting to her feet.

“Help me up first. I need to go and lay down again, my back is being a bitch.” Vex huffed, arching herself in discomfort.

Percy complies in an instant, taking both her hands and gently lifting her from her seat into a standing position.

“Are you okay?” he queries in concern, “I could give you a quick massage before I go and speak with Vesper?”

“Nice try Percy,” Vex teases, detecting his attempt at putting his father-daughter heart-to-heart off, “I’ll be fine. Though, I may take you up on that offer when you get back.”

“Fine.” Percy counters with a smile.

“Now go!” Vex exclaims shooing him out the room, “And good luck, dear.”

“Hopefully I won’t need it.” Percy mutters to himself as the door closes behind him, leaving him standing alone in one of the long winding upper-floor corridors of the castle.


	3. A Shared Name but Planning for a Different Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Vex’s advice, Percy heads to Vesper’s room to try and explain his behaviour at dinner, as well as be upfront about the family’s dark history. But will Vesper be as forthcoming as her mother hopes or take a page from her father’s book and completely shut herself off.

Percy wandered the halls for a short while, trying to formulate a plan of action on how to approach the topic of his past with Vesper. He could not for the life of him conceive a way to explain it without frightening the poor girl and giving her nightmares. He was starting to think that Vex was mad for thinking this was a good idea, when he was suddenly struck with an idea.

He stopped pacing up and down the same corridor he had been walking along for the last 15 minutes and began to move briskly toward Cassandra’s office. He quickly located and picked up the book he was intending to find, with it being in the exact same location to which he remembered his sister putting it last, then exited and headed to Vesper’s room on the other side of the castle.

Vesper was at her desk in her room in the middle of writing a very detailed letter to her boyfriend Nesam in Emon about how undignified her family were, when she was interrupted by a quiet knock at her door. She placed her quill down and shifted in her chair to turn toward the door.

“Yes? Who is it?” she called out.

“It’s me.” came the response, quite clearly her father’s voice, “I was hoping we could talk for a moment.”

Vesper huffed out a sigh in exasperation. She really did not want a second round of that frosty stand-off she had with her father at dinner. Not to mention she was still harbouring a grudge at his quick dismissal of her request to invite Nesam’s family here to Whitestone.

Curiosity getting the better of her however, she got up from her chair and walked over to her bedroom door and opened it a small amount to direct her dubious frown to Percy on the other side. She could not help feeling a fresh tinge of annoyance run down her spine seeing her father standing there looking collected as always.

“I hope when you say you wanted to talk, you actually mean apologise.” she says defiantly, wanting to make it clear that she hadn’t yet forgotten or forgiven his actions toward her a mere few of hours ago.

“Something along those lines, but not so explicitly, yes.” Percy replied calmly.

Vesper paused to mull over that answer, not sure she was wholly satisfied with the idea of that. As she did so she eyed her father’s state of dress. He was not adorned in his usual regal and dignified ensemble but was instead dressed rather casually in just his shirt and trousers. She wondered if he was using this as a tactic to disarm her defences, hoping that he would appear more open and approachable like this, as opposed to how he had been at dinner. Did he really think she would fall for such utter nonsense?

“May I come in?” her father said, interrupting her train of thought.

Vesper did not speak in response, but simply pulled the door the rest of the way open and stood to its side, indicating he could enter. Percy did so without a second thought. He walked past her and moved to sit in the chair at her desk she had just vacated, while Vesper shut the door and sat on the edge of her bed facing her father waiting for him to speak.

Percy sat down in the chair and briefly turned away from his daughter to place the small book in his hand down on the small writing desk beside him. As he did so he noticed a half-written letter in Vesper’s neat cursive hand that she must have been in the middle of writing when he knocked. His eyes skimmed over it quickly and he found himself having to use all his willpower to not snort a laugh as its contents. Composing himself he then turned to face his daughter who was looking at him with an expression of curiosity yet also uncertainty.

Percy cleared his throat to break the silence but not quite sure how to begin his planned speech.

“Did mother put you up to this?” Vesper blurted out accusingly with an arched eyebrow.

“No. I wanted to apologise for how I acted toward you at dinner. That was rude, so I am sorry.” Percy replied calmly, before continuing, “Though I said the same to your mother that I will say to you. I am not going to apologise however, for what I said.”

Percy watched Vesper’s face closely as she took in what he said a sentence at a time, seeing the rapid shifts in emotions; from shock, to appreciation, then to confusion, to finally settling on anger.

“Am I supposed to be satisfied with that pathetic excuse of an apology?” she lashed out.

Percy opened his mouth to respond but was cut short by his now raging daughter. Whom he noted to himself was almost as frightening as her mother when angered. He suddenly felt a degree of sympathy for this unknown boyfriend and any other future romantic interests of hers who may one day find themselves at the mercy to this wrath.

“I don’t understand,” she began to rant fiercely, gesturing wildly with her hands in the same way Vex does, “I haven’t asked for anything unreasonable. Honestly, I wish I had not asked at all. I really did not see this being the issue it has become. I did not imagine you to be one of those ridiculous, paranoid, overprotective fathers who never wishes for their daughters to date in fear of perhaps losing their ‘little girl’ sooner than anticipated!”

As Vesper finished her torrent of frustrations she inhaled sharply to gain her breath back and to calm herself back down into a state of properness, fitting for the young Lady that she was and had been coached to be in etiquette lessons with her tutor.

When she looked back up at her father, ready to tell him to excuse himself and that his apology was not accepted, she stopped herself short after seeing his expression.

Percy was staring blankly at the book he had brought with him and had placed on the desk, with a dark expression on his face that Vesper had never seen before. She found herself stunned into silence, instead waiting worriedly for him to speak.

After a long pregnant pause Percy murmured, “I have good reason to be paranoid and protective of this family.”

“Why?” Vesper murmured in response, now reading the sad far-away look her father had.

Vesper was no fool, and she was much more observant than her parents may believe. She had grown up well aware that her parents and their closest friends were revered in Taldorei as heroes, which she also knew had come with the terrible price of her mother losing her best friend and twin brother Vax’ildan. The heroic tales and ballads of her uncle Vax were shared far and wide, many of which had been written by their close friend and ex-Vox Machina member Scanlan. Being the oldest child and having been born within the year following her uncle’s death, she had grown up while her mother still battled her deep-rooted grief for her twin. So, even with her youth, innocence, and naivety about the world, one thing she did know was what someone looked like when their mind had drifted to a fleeting memory of a lost loved one. The look now currently adorned on her father’s face.

“Do you know why you were named Vesper?” Percy asked, finally turning toward his daughter once more.

“Erm,” Vesper lamely replied perplexed by the sudden line of inquiry, before continuing, “after your eldest sister I believe? At least that is what mother told me when I asked. She didn’t tell me much more than that.”

“Yes, that is correct.” Percy nodded in confirmation, “But, do you know why your mother and I named you, and your sister and brothers, after mine?”

She did not. Vesper had always been too afraid to ask, ever since learning the origin of her own name from her mother and then later realising that it had become a theme between her siblings. She was almost shaking from both anxiety and anticipation at her father sitting there teasing the prospect of finally revealing at long last this secret.

She simply shook her head in reply, her eyes wide and eager to hear his answer.

“I’m afraid the reasoning is not an entirely happy one. Hence why your mother and I have consciously tried to avoid the subject with all of you until we felt you were old enough to understand.” Percy began, picking up the book he had placed on the desk moments ago and beginning to flick through it. It did not take him long to find the page he was looking for, and once he did, he held out the opened book toward Vesper in invitation to take it from him.

Vesper accepted the book from her father’s outstretched hand, taking it as delicately as she could as if it were made from the most expensive of crystal glass. She then turned her attention to the pages her father wished for her to see. Across the double-page spread of the book, in her aunt Cassandra’s recognisable immaculately neat hand, is a beautifully drawn out family tree.

Vesper scanned over each of the names written, deeply fascinated by this side of her family history, which up to this point had never been addressed or spoken of. Most of the names unfamiliar to her, but with each tier of the tree a swell of pride began to form within her as she finally put names to the long-standing linage of the Lords and Ladies of Whitestone whom preceded her father and aunt. As she reached the bottom of the tree she finally sees names that are familiar to her, that of her father and aunt. Alongside theirs are the names of all their siblings, those that the new line of de Rolos are named after, but what shocked Vesper is that each of them are marked as deceased and with a date of death.

Vesper’s eyes go wide with shock as her head shot up to meet her father’s patient gaze. Percy gave her a sad smile in acknowledgement to her discovery.

Vesper looked down at the names of the aunts and uncles she never got to meet and never will once more, studying the dates again in more detail. The sudden realisation that they, along with her grandparents, all died in the same year caused a shiver of dread to run up her spine. Vesper snapped the book shut and let out a shaky breath before finding her voice once more.

“What happened to them?” she whispered, her eyes still fixed on the now closed book in her hands dazed.

Percy slowly reached out to take the book from his daughter’s firm grip. Knowing from first-hand experience the tremendous weight the small unassuming item carries and sensing that removing it from her may draw her back to the present. After a heartbeat Vesper’s frozen wide gaze softens as she blinks to readjust her focus and looks back to her father for an answer to her question.

Percy sighed a heavy deep sigh before leaning forward toward his daughter.

“It was a very long time ago,” he began in a murmur, “I was only a couple of years older than you at the time. A lot of the precise details are lost to me and have been for many years.”

Percy paused to remove his glasses and rub his eyes before continuing, finding it more difficult to tell Vesper the truth now that the moment was upon him than he had imagined as he made his way here.

“My parents, your grandparents, Lord Frederickstein and Lady Johanna invited two individuals into this castle one night, under the understanding that business was to be discussed over dinner. These people whom were invited were named Lord and Lady Briarwood, and they are the people responsible for my parents and sibling’s deaths.” Percy stated, never breaking eye contact with his daughter, watching as her eyes widen once more in understanding.

“The Briarwoods had built up a working relationship with my family over some time prior to orchestrating their demise, and so my family never suspected any possible threat from them, until it was too late.” Percy’s eyes lowered to the ground on the last statement.

“How did just two people manage to carry out something so heinous?” Vesper asked, now enthralled by the story her father was sharing of his past.

“They didn’t work alone,” Percy began to explain, a dark expression falling on his face, “they had the assistance of another crooked individual named Anna Ripley, along with a number of the cities guards, a couple of the Baron’s of Whitestone at the time, along with a couple of trusted members of the palace staff. Together they instigated a coup to overthrow my family and thus put the Briarwoods in charge of ruling over Whitestone in their stead.”

“Is this why you and aunt Cassandra changed the political system here? Why we now have the Chamber of Whitestone? To stop this from happening again?” Vesper gushed in quick concession, the adrenaline of the situation clearly getting to her and showing her desperation for answers.

“Precisely.” Percy nodded in affirmation.

“This is also why you denied my request at dinner?” Vesper asked sheepishly, now seeing the cause of her father’s abrupt dismissal and feeling guilty for cursing him for it at the time.

“Yes.” he replied, giving her that same small sad smile from earlier.

A silence fell over the two of them for a moment, as they both digest what was discussed.

“I understand.” Vesper declared suddenly with a warm smile on her face, as she looked at Percy with a new sense of appreciation and admiration. She felt as if she was seeing her father in a completely new light. He was not just her father, the Sophist of Native Ingenuity and Lord of Whitestone, a hero of Taldorei, but he was also a survivor. A man who had experienced and witnessed an unimaginable hell at such a young age, and yet went on to do great things and save the world she now knew. Vesper felt inspired by his monumental courage and a sudden surge of pride overwhelmed her at being able to call this man her father.

“Well,” Percy began with a chuckle, “it appears yet again your mother was right. It is becoming quite irritating how it too often works out that way.” he finished, grinning mischievously which caused Vesper to giggle.

“Oh, and I’m sorry I called you ridiculous and paranoid.” Vesper blurted out of embarrassment.

“Oh no need to apologise for that, because you were absolutely right.” Percy responded good naturedly while shrugging it off. “I am absolutely a paranoid fool. But I hope my paranoia can aid me in protecting this family, and from preventing a similar fate falling upon all of you.”

“And I will endeavour to do the same. When I take over from aunt Cass as the Guardian of Woven Stone I will make sure they are never forgotten, as long as Whitestone stands.” Vesper proclaims with upmost conviction causing Percy’s heart to burst with pride.

“I don’t doubt it.” Percy says with a smile, raising to his feet and walking over to plant a kiss on the top of his daughter’s head. “Now get some rest.”

He turns and begins to walk toward the door, but is stopped in his tracks by his daughter’s voice.

“Dad?” she called out, having had the ice broken from his display of affection to address him informally like when she was younger.

“May I borrow that book? I want to memorise as much of it as I can.” she asked hesitantly.

Percy looked down at the small leather-bound book in his hand, the only remaining piece of documentation containing de Rolo family history since the Briarwoods usurpation.

“Of course you may,” he approved, putting it down on her bedside table, “just make sure you return it to your aunt Cass by the time your new baby brother or sister is born. She will need to make the new addition to the family tree.” he finished with a warm smile, to which Vesper responded with one of her own and nodded in agreement.

Percy went to turn and leave once more but quickly turned back around with a devilish smirk on his face, having remembered a minor detail he did not want to leave without addressing.

“Oh, and one more thing,” he started, his smirk still firmly planted on his face, “perhaps you’ll want to make some amendments to that letter you were drafting over there.”

Vesper felt the blood in her cheeks go hot as a bright blush formed across her face at the realisation that he had read its scathing contents, before clearing her throat and responding.

“Yes, I think that would be prudent.” she mumbles as dignified as she can muster.

“I’m glad you agree.” Percy laughed, “When we do meet this Nesam, I wouldn’t want him thinking us all to be a bunch of uncouth miscreants.”

“Does that mean you will come to Emon to meet him and his family?” Vesper asked excitedly.

“I’m not making any promises now, but I’ll think about it.” he offered in earnest. “Give me time.”

“I can accept that. For now.” Vesper replied cheekily with a wide grin.

“Goodnight Vesper.”

“Goodnight.” she called out as he turned and exited out of her room, shutting the door behind him. She listened as his footsteps got quieter and quieter as he vanished down the hallway.

Before settling into bed for the night Vesper tore up the letter she had begun writing to Nesam, deciding she would write another one tomorrow saying how she felt it best they hold off on meeting each other’s families for now. She then picked up the small book containing the de Rolo family tree and laid in bed intently scanning over every name, before her eyes settled on Vesper de Rolo, the aunt who died too young and whom she was named after.

“I wish I could have known you. All of you.” she whispered to herself idly as she ran her finger over all of the names of her family members whom she would never meet. Soon enough exhaustion from the day hit her and so she placed the book back on her bedside table and went about preparing for bed.

Percy smiled to himself as he began to walk back toward his and Vex’s room. Pleasantly surprised at how well that had gone, and excited to tell Vex that their daughter was no longer a runaway risk, he picked up his pace hoping to catch his wife still awake once he returned.

He paused momentarily in front of a portrait hung at the top of the staircase in the grand entrance of the castle, perfectly positioned so it can be seen by anyone who ascended to the upper floors. It caught Percy’s attention as he passed it to cross to the other side of the upper landing, as it dawned on him this portrait is unlike the ones he remembered from his childhood that covered the walls of the castle of his ancestors. All of which were now lost from the Briarwoods brief time in rulership. The painting in question was of his family, the new line of de Rolos in Whitestone, and had been commissioned from a local artist recommended to them by Scanlan. He could not deny, the artist had done a magnificent job. They were all positioned around the lounge in Vex’s house, since she had insisted on it needing to be featured, and all were cast in a warm inviting orange glow from the hearth behind them. However, what captured Percy’s attention most of all was that unlike the dower pompous expressions often affixed on the faces of the past de Rolos portraits, his family were all looking at each other with warm loving smiles.

It reminded him how much Whitestone had changed in the years since the Briarwoods. The people of Whitestone in general seemed happier, now that each segment of the populace was represented for in decision making by the members of the Chamber of Whitestone, and he and the other members of the royal family were happier knowing not all of the responsibilities fell on their shoulders. The burden of leadership was shared. A democracy.

Percy stared up at the painting and smiled to himself, reflecting on the conversation he’d had with his eldest daughter moments ago.

“I believe the future of Whitestone is in good hands.” he muttered to himself as he glanced once more at the smiling face of Vesper in the portrait, before turning and walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this fic :)


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